A request for refund is sufficient if it-
The Secretary shall certify the amount of the refund to be paid under paragraph (1) to the Secretary of the Treasury who shall make such refund. Such refund shall be paid from amounts received as current receipts from sales, bonuses, royalties (including interest charges collected under this section) and rentals of the public lands and the Outer Continental Shelf under the provisions of the Mineral Leasing Act [30 U.S.C. 181 et seq.] and the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act [43 U.S.C. 1331 et seq.], which are not payable to a State or the Reclamation Fund. The portion of any such refund attributable to any amounts previously disbursed to a State, the Reclamation Fund, or any recipient prescribed by law shall be deducted from the next disbursements to that recipient made under the applicable law. Such amounts deducted from subsequent disbursements shall be credited to miscellaneous receipts in the Treasury.
A refund under this subsection shall be paid or denied (with an explanation of the reasons for the denial) within 120 days of the date on which the request for refund is received by the Secretary. Such refund shall be subject to later audit by the Secretary or the applicable delegated State and subject to the provisions of this chapter.
In no event shall the Secretary or any delegated State directly or indirectly claim or offset any amount or amounts against, or reduce any refund or credit (or interest accrued thereon) by the amount of any obligation the enforcement of which is barred by section 1724 of this title.
1 So in original. Probably should be "principal".
30 U.S.C. § 1721a
EDITORIAL NOTES
REFERENCES IN TEXTThe Mineral Leasing Act, referred to in subsec. (b)(2), is act Feb. 25, 1920, ch. 85, 41 Stat. 437, which is classified generally to chapter 3A (§181 et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 181 of this title and Tables.The Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, referred to in subsec. (b)(2), is act Aug. 7, 1953, ch. 345, 67 Stat. 462, which is classified generally to subchapter III (§1331 et seq.) of chapter 29 of Title 43, Public Lands. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 1301 of Title 43 and Tables.
STATUTORY NOTES AND RELATED SUBSIDIARIES
EFFECTIVE DATESection applicable with respect to production of oil and gas after the first day of the month following Aug. 13, 1996, see section 11 of Pub. L. 104-185 set out as an Effective Date of 1996 Amendment note under section 1701 of this title.
APPLICABILITYSection not applicable to any privately owned minerals or with respect to Indian lands, see sections 9 and 10 of Pub. L. 104-185 set out as an Applicability of 1996 Amendment note under section 1701 of this title.